The disruption of the proceedings over the years means that the debate happens everywhere other than in the House, which is undermining the institution

Have you heard of Rufus E Miles? If yes, then you know that in the late 1940s, he described what is currently happening in our Parliament. If you haven't heard of him, he was an American bureaucrat who served during the tenure of three presidents (Dwight D Eisenhower, John F Kennedy and Lyndon B Johnson). The adage, "where you stand, depends on where you sit", is attributed to him. Miles admitted that the idea was as old as Plato. While working in the president's budget office, he coined the phrase to illustrate a colleague’s shifting stance after changing departments.

Popularly referred to as 'Miles law' — it also fits the functioning of our legislature in the past two decades. A ruling party behaves like its opponents, who were earlier in power. And an Opposition party dishes out the same parliamentary behaviour that it faced when it was in government. For example, from 1999 to 2004, during the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) tenure, the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) parties disrupted Parliament. There was a reversal of roles after the 2004 general elections. Now, it was the turn of the NDA parties to protest for the next ten years. After 2014, the wheel of electoral fortune has turned once again.